Encouragement in Potions class
by catlynarya
Summary: Hermione and Neville partner during Potions class.


A/N : This is written for The Houses Competition. I own nothing from the HP universe and make no money from this submission.

House : Ravenclaw

Year : 2

Category : Standard

Prompt : [Pairing] Neville Longbottom/Hermione Granger

Word Count : 836

* * *

The young witch and wizard began making the potion that Professor Snape had set for the day. He had required the class to pair up for this potion.

"Neville, why don't you feel like you can do magic well?" the young witch asked the wizard paired with her.

He thought for a few moments and began relating his story. "I never showed any signs of magic growing up. My uncle even threw me out of a window to force my magic to come out. It didn't work," he said.

"Hmm, well, I guess your magic wants to save itself for a big event," the witch said.

"I had only hoped that my magic wasn't a fluke. Then I received my Hogwarts letter and I knew that I was truly a wizard, albeit not a very good one, but a wizard just the same," Neville Longbottom finished his story to the young witch he was partnering with for Potions class.

"Oh, Neville, you are a great wizard. You just need confidence in yourself. One day, you will change the way things are going and make all the difference in a situation," Hermione Granger assured him as she dropped in exactly three drops of troll tears.

"If you say so, Hermione. I've never felt all that brave, but yet the hat put me in Gryffindor. I think it made a mistake," Neville said flatly as he tried to slice the flobberworms neatly.

"Nonsense," Hermione said as she adjusted the heat on their potion. She began to stir clockwise for ten strokes.

"Anyway, thanks for partnering with me today, Hermione. I'm pants at potions and Professor Snape knows it. He knows he makes me nervous, so he hovers around me on purpose. Well, it feels that way anyway," he told her as he scooped up the flobberworm pieces and handed them to her. He wasn't going to mess this potion up, so he was letting Hermione tell him what to do.

Professor Snape had made a slow circle around the room and came up behind Neville, sneering as he looked over into the cauldron and watched Hermione carefully add the flobberworm to the potion. It turned a sickly green colour before fading to a light blue as Hermione began to stir again. Snape snorted and drifted off to watch another pair of students.

Hermione sighed, "He really can't stand Gryffindors, can he? He always has it in for us. I make perfect potions, yet can't get an O in this class for any reason. I made Polyjuice Potion in second year for crying out loud, but he can't be bothered to give me a decent grade in this class." She ranted under her breath for a while as she continued to stir the potion and add ingredients.

Neville stared at her, "You did what in second year?"

"Oh, Neville, you weren't supposed to hear that. But yes, I made a perfect Polyjuice Potion in second year. I did it in secret for Harry, Ron, and me to try to find out who opened the Chamber of Secrets. It worked well for Harry and Ron. Me, on the other hand, well, it would have been fine if I had gotten a human hair," she explained quietly.

Neville continued to stare at her, flabbergasted that she would even attempt such an advanced potion at such a young age. He glanced over at Professor Snape and whispered, "You are such a great witch, Hermione. I could never compare to you."

"You will do great things, Neville. Don't you worry about comparing to me. You have true bravery and that is something I will never have. One day, you will surpass everyone in something and then you will feel on top of the world."

"Okay, it's done. Bottle it up and carefully take it to Professor Snape," Hermione stated as she extinguished the flame under the cauldron. Other groups were handing in their potions as well. Neville did as she said and carefully placed the potion in the rack on Professor Snape's desk.

The two fifth-year students packed up their things and followed the others out of the classroom. They made their way up to Gryffindor house to put their book bags away and relax until it was time for dinner. Hermione dropped her bag onto the table in the common room and began pulling out books and parchment so that she could begin her homework.

"Ugh, Hermione, why? We just got out of class, why do you want to start on homework?" Ron moaned.

"Better to get it done now than wait until the last minute," she replied haughtily.

Ron rolled his eyes at her and looked over to Harry. "Fancy a game of Wizard's Chess?" he asked.

"Nah, not today. I think I might go fly a bit before dinner. Why not get Neville to play with you?" Harry said and started up the stairs to get his broom.

"Hey, Neville, come play chess with me," Ron yelled across the room.


End file.
